diff --git a/contrib/cross.sh b/contrib/cross.sh
index 40b79024a..0b7d66328 100755
--- a/contrib/cross.sh
+++ b/contrib/cross.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 # helper script for me for when i cross compile
 # t. jeff
 #
+set -e
+
 die() {
     echo $@
     exit 1
@@ -11,36 +13,52 @@ die() {
 platform=${PLATFORM:-Linux}
 root="$(readlink -e $(dirname $0)/../)"
 cd $root
-set -e
-test $# = 0 && die no targets provided
 mkdir -p build-cross
-echo "all: $@" > build-cross/Makefile
-for targ in $@ ; do
-    mkdir -p $root/build-cross/build-$targ
-    cd $root/build-cross/build-$targ
+
+cmake_opts="-DBUILD_STATIC_DEPS=ON \
+          -DSTATIC_LINK=ON \
+          -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
+          -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF \
+          -DBUILD_LIBLOKINET=OFF \
+          -DWITH_TESTS=OFF \
+          -DNATIVE_BUILD=OFF \
+          -DSTATIC_LINK=ON \
+          -DWITH_SYSTEMD=OFF \
+          -DFORCE_OXENMQ_SUBMODULE=ON \
+          -DSUBMODULE_CHECK=OFF \
+          -DWITH_LTO=OFF \
+          -DWITH_BOOTSTRAP=OFF \
+          -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=RelWithDeb"
+
+targets=()
+
+while [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; do
+    if [ "$1" = "--" ]; then
+        shift
+        cmake_opts=$@
+        break
+    fi
+    targets+=("$1")
+    shift
+done
+test ${#targets[@]} = 0 && die no targets provided
+
+archs="${targets[@]}"
+echo "all: $archs" > build-cross/Makefile
+for arch in $archs ; do
+    mkdir -p $root/build-cross/build-$arch
+    cd $root/build-cross/build-$arch
     cmake \
         -G 'Unix Makefiles' \
         -DCROSS_PLATFORM=$platform \
-        -DCROSS_PREFIX=$targ \
+        -DCROSS_PREFIX=$arch \
         -DCMAKE_EXE_LINKER_FLAGS=-fstack-protector \
-        -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS=-fdiagnostics-color=always\
-        -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=$root/contrib/cross/cross.toolchain.cmake\
-        -DBUILD_STATIC_DEPS=ON \
-        -DBUILD_SHARED_LIBS=OFF \
-        -DBUILD_TESTING=OFF \
-        -DBUILD_LIBLOKINET=OFF \
-        -DWITH_TESTS=OFF \
-        -DNATIVE_BUILD=OFF \
-        -DSTATIC_LINK=ON \
-        -DWITH_SYSTEMD=OFF \
-        -DFORCE_OXENMQ_SUBMODULE=ON \
-        -DSUBMODULE_CHECK=OFF \
-        -DWITH_LTO=OFF \
-        -DWITH_BOOTSTRAP=OFF \
-        -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release \
+        -DCMAKE_CXX_FLAGS=-fdiagnostics-color=always \
+        -DCMAKE_TOOLCHAIN_FILE=$root/contrib/cross/cross.toolchain.cmake \
+        $cmake_opts \
         $root
     cd $root/build-cross
-    echo -ne "$targ:\n\t\$(MAKE) -C  build-$targ\n" >> $root/build-cross/Makefile
+    echo -ne "$arch:\n\t\$(MAKE) -C  build-$arch\n" >> $root/build-cross/Makefile
 
 done
 cd $root
diff --git a/readme.md b/readme.md
index be57d75f3..2f35d1dcb 100644
--- a/readme.md
+++ b/readme.md
@@ -80,9 +80,7 @@ current cross targets:
 * mipsel-linux-gnu
 * powerpc64le-linux-gnu
 
-
-
-install the toolchain (this one is for `aarch64-linux-gnu`)
+install the toolchain (this one is for `aarch64-linux-gnu`, you can provide your own toolchain if you want)
 
     $ sudo apt install g{cc,++}-aarch64-linux-gnu